Self-made

 

Jeremiah 17:9-10 

9 The human mind is more deceitful than anything else.

It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?

10 I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds.

I examine people’s hearts.

I deal with each person according to how he has behaved.

I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

 

 

In being bad I transgress the Law

and in being good is it so different?

If I establish my own righteousness

Without Jesus, I’ll be a sly Pharisee.

As in my flesh there dwells no good

Although I’m able to produce some.

I guess that’s not well understood

Even though it adds up one, two, three.

 

I know what’s right or do I now?

I know what’s wrong for sure.

When things seem right and still are wrong

and I don’t know the difference.

So when I do wrong to make things right

I am nobody’s fool.

I mix them up and drink that cup

in blindness and indifference.

 

So I enter in the presence

with the slightest confidence

and fill the room from top to floor

with self-satisfaction.

With self-joy of achievement

and trophies I racked up

that will only lead you on

to simple self-destruction.

 

Jan Wienen